VREM: An advanced virtual environment for micro assembly

Micro assembly involves the assembly of micron-sized devices. Given the complexity of this domain, the role of virtual environments becomes important as they provide a basis to propose and compare assembly alternatives virtually prior to physical assembly. This paper proposes an integrated approach which includes the use of virtual reality-based assembly environments that interface with physical micro assembly environments. Such an approach can be an intrinsic part of a collaborative manufacturing framework that seeks to support the rapid assembly of micro devices. In this paper, the design of VREM (Virtual Reality based Environment for Micro Assembly) is discussed which is based on this integrated approach involving use of virtual and physical resources.